Marius
Marius was an unfortunate soul who was caught up in the return of the Prime Evils. He would pay a heavy price for his involvement. Biography In Terror's Wake An old vagrant, Marius had sought shelter in the Rogue MonasteryThe Story of Diablo when Diablo's hellspawn overwhelmed the citadel. He fled, finding refuge in a small hostel along with other outcasts and fighting nightmares of the attack, doing his best to stay awake, smoking opium while he did so. But Diablo, in the guise of the Dark Wanderer, stopped at the same hostel, and the place was quickly destroyed by the demons that his presence called up. Being the only survivor, Marius was compelled to follow the Wanderer.Diablo II, The Sightless Eye Intro The pair traveled east, over the mountains, and into the deserts of Aranoch. As they walked, the Wanderer spoke of his past, how he had once been a great warrior, how a dark and secret burden now weighed heavily upon them. It was a long and arduous journey, but finally, they came within sight of their destination—Lut Gholein. Making camp, Marius found himself able to sleep again, for the first time in weeks. Yet he dreamed. Dreamed of memories that were not his own. In them, he saw an image of Tal Rasha, and the archangel Tyrael. In the dream, he witnessed the Horadrim binding the mage in order to keep Baal imprisoned within him. Awaking with a start, Marius found the Wanderer looking over him. He cryptically told Marius that he had seen his "brother." The one he sought. At dawn, the two set out,Diablo II, Secret of the Vizjerei Intro Cinematic searching for the Tomb of Tal Rasha. Finding it, and against his better judgment, Marius entered the tomb with his companion. As they made their way through the gloom, he sensed the changes in the Wanderer as Diablo's spirit gained control. Reaching Tal Rasha's Chamber, Diablo rushed forward to release Baal but was intercepted by a newly arrived Tyrael. As the demon and angel fought, Tal Rasha's crazed spirit pleaded with Marius to release him. Marius pulled Baal's soulstone that contained the demon's essence from Tal Rasha's ribcage, releasing Baal from his prison. Before being overwhelmed by his foes, Tyrael charged Marius with going to the Burning Hells and destroying Baal's soulstone at the Hellforge; he ran out of the tomb as Baal joined the battle against Tyrael.Diablo II, The Infernal Gate Intro Cinematic Pathway to Madness thumb|Marius watching the gathering of [[Prime Evils]] Following Tyrael's instructions, Marius traveled to Kurast and gained entry to the Temple of Light There, in its depths, he found the three Prime Evils gathered, summoning the portal he had been instructed to go through. He watched as the Wanderer lost what was left of his humanity, completing his transformation into Diablo, who passed through the gate into Hell.Diablo II, The Harrowing Intro Cinematic Horrified by what he had seen, he could not bring himself to step through the gate.Diablo II Ending Cinematic Having failed to enter Hell, Marius fled to Westmarch. There, driven to the brink of madness, he was arrested and confined to a sanitarium. His mind shattered, he carved the accounts of his experience into the floor of his cell with his own fingernails.Book of Cain Baal's soulstone also ravaged his body, giving him an aged appearance. A small measure of comfort existed in that word reached his ears at some point of Diablo's defeat, and that his soulstone (along with Mephisto's) were destroyed in the Hellforge.Diablo II Ending Cinematic thumb|left|Marius, ravaged by the effects of the soulstone One day, Marius received a cloaked visitor—Tyrael. Marius, consumed with guilt, related his account to the angel, from the moment he first encountered the Dark Wanderer to his current position. Tyrael assured him that all would be forgiven if he handed over the soulstone, an offer that Marius gladly accepted. What was less heartening was the revelation that his visitor in his cell was not Tyrael, but in actual fact, Baal. Marius broke into tears before Baal "rewarded" Marius for his service, killing him and setting the sanitarium ablaze. Legacy Marius's failure to ensure the destruction of Baal's soulstone would have dire ramifications for Sanctuary. Ultimately, Baal was defeated, but not before the corruption and subsequent destruction of the Worldstone.Lord of Destruction Twenty years after his death, the Great Conflict came to a head, with a revived Diablo invading the High Heavens. A vision of Marius was used by the Prime Evil to demoralize Tyrael. However, when the angel refused to kneel, the vision was replaced by one of Baal's lieutenants, whom Tyrael and his allies summarily defeated.Diablo III, Act IV Game Effect Diablo II Marius makes no appearance in the Diablo II game engine, but does serve as the game's narrator. Diablo III A vision of Marius appears in Act IV of Diablo III as part of Diablo's attempt to demoralize Tyrael. When Tyrael successfully fights back the guilt, the vision is replaced by one of Baal's lieutenants, who attempts to stop Tyrael and the nephalem using more conventional means. Quotes See Marius/Dialogue Personality and Traits Marius was heavily scarred by his ordeal from surviving the attack of Diablo's hellspawn at Rogue Monastery, constantly plagued by nightmares and visions that forced him to stay awake. Marius was easily manipulated by both Diablo and Baal on separate occasions. Trivia Marius was voiced by Frank Gorshin, who played The Riddler in 1966's Batman series. References